Women’s unpaid household work worth Tk570,000cr: BBS

Business Report :

If women in Bangladesh were paid for household and care giving work, the amount would stand at Tk570,000 crore, according to the first-ever official estimate unveiled by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) on Tuesday.

The landmark assessment, compiled in the Household Production Satellite Account (HPSA) by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), underscores the crucial yet long-overlooked role of women’s unpaid contributions in sustaining families, communities and the economy.

The estimate is based on 2021 figures, the BBS said in its Household Production Satellite Account (HPSA) report.

Activities such as cooking, cleaning, laundry, childcare, elder care and tending to the sick – traditionally excluded from economic accounts – have now been formally recognised as productive labour.

“This report makes the invisible visible. For too long, women’s labour remained in the shadows of our economy. we acknowledge its true value,” said Sharmeen S. Murshid, Adviser to the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, who addressed the launch event as chief guest.

The event was also attended by Senior Secretary Momtaz Ahmed, Statistics and Informatics Division Secretary Aleya Akter, and UN Women Bangladesh Representative Gitanjali Singh. BBS Director General Mohammad Mizanur Rahman chaired the programme.

Presenting the report, BBS Deputy Director Asma Akhter said the estimates drew on data from the 2021 Time Use Survey and the 2022 Labour Force Survey. UN Women’s Nubayra Jeheen showcased a “Care Calculator” tool to illustrate how much time individuals spend daily on unpaid tasks.

The HPSA report urged the integration of care work into national budgets and development plans, expansion of care-related jobs, family-friendly workplace policies, and greater involvement of men and boys in household responsibilities. It also recommended regular data collection to guide policymaking.

In a video message, Asian Development Bank Chief Statistician Mahinthan Joseph Mariasingham described the initiative as a “pioneering step” for Bangladesh.

Experts said the recognition of unpaid labour goes beyond statistics, embedding gender sensitivity into policy and planning. By quantifying women’s “invisible” work, Bangladesh is paving the way for more inclusive growth and social equity.